Police prosecution figures for Christmas and Christmas Eve suggest the city experienced a less unruly festival this year.
The jury is out on whether this was due to better road discipline or a lighter hand by the police.
According to Kolkata Police, traffic violations dropped sharply compared to last year.
- Only 152 people were prosecuted for riding without helmets on Thursday, compared to 1,449 in 2024.
- Drunk driving cases fell from 100 last year to 77, while prosecutions for rash driving dropped from 181 to 81.
- Total traffic prosecutions on Christmas Eve fell sharply from 1,730 in 2024 to just 310 this year.
“If we compare the figures with last year, it shows that people were far more disciplined on the road this Christmas,” said a senior traffic officer.
Several officers attributed the improvement to better driving habits among motorists. “We found that many people who went to nightclubs and pubs hired chauffeurs instead of driving themselves. Motorcyclists were also more disciplined regarding helmet use and speed limits,” said an officer posted in south Calcutta.
A section of the police credited the change to ongoing awareness campaigns and traffic enforcement drives throughout the year.
“These figures indicate that our repeated campaigns and drives have effectively reinforced the message of traffic safety,” an officer said.
However, not everyone on the roads shared this optimistic view. Some motorists reported encountering “unruly two-wheeler riders.”
A Garia resident said: “I spotted speed bikers on EM Bypass on Christmas night. They were not wearing helmets and sped towards the southern fringes of the city.”
Police officers said they will continue special enforcement drives during the festive season to maintain road